Elastic moduli of a composite of hollow spheres in a matrix

Abstract

L ow density foams deform primarily by bending of the cell edges. Their mechanical properties could be improved by increasing the flexural rigidity of the wall. The introduction of a high volume fraction of thin walled hollow spheres into a foamed matrix produces a composite cellular solid with a sandwich cell wall: the walls of the spheres act as the faces of the sandwich while the foamed matrix acts as the core. As a first step to producing cellular solids with sandwich cell walls, in this paper we describe the elastic moduli of a composite cellular solid made by introducing thin walled hollow spheres into a solid matrix.